This invention relates to an assembly line for assembling different combinations of parts and has particular utility for sheet metal assembly.
Assembly lines for assembling parts to each other have previously included a part tray that is movable laterally with respect to the direction of conveyance of the assembly line and has two different sets of fixtures to receive and support two different combinations of parts for assembly to each other in order to permit two different production runs to be tooled and alternately run without stoppage for tool setup. Such assembly lines have the part tray always located within the work area of the assembly line and require stoppage to permit adaptation for future pilot production runs so as to thereby decrease production and thus increase the production costs.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved assembly line for assembling parts to each other.
In carrying out the above object, the assembly line of the invention includes a plurality of work stations positioned along a direction of conveyance of the assembly line and each work station has a work area where the assembly takes place. A conveyor of the assembly line conveys parts to be assembled from one work station to the next in a successive manner along the direction of conveyance. Each work station includes a production part tray for holding parts being assembled within the work area of the conveyor. One of the work stations also includes a pilot part tray for handling a combination of pilot parts to be assembled in preparation for future production. The one work station also including a maintenance station located laterally along the direction of conveyance from the work area. An indexer of the one work station indexes the pilot and production part trays of the one work station in a direction transverse to the direction of conveyance so as to permit one of the these part trays to be used in the assembly of its associated combination of parts in the work area, and the pilot part tray is movable to the maintenance station externally of the work area for work in preparation for the future production. The indexer includes a detachable coupling for attaching to the pilot part tray for the indexing and is detachable therefrom so the pilot part tray can be moved to the maintenance station.
In the preferred construction of the assembly line, the indexer of the assembly line also includes another detachable coupling for selectively attaching the production part tray for the indexing and for detachment therefrom for positioning at the maintenance station. More specifically, the one work station may include a pair of maintenance stations spaced from each other with the assembly line extending therebetween along the direction of conveyance, and the one work station may include a second production part tray. Either of the production part trays are movable to one of the pair of maintenance stations for maintenance and the pilot part tray can be moved to one of the pair of maintenance stations for work in preparation for future production. The indexer includes detachable couplings for selectively attaching the production and pilot part trays for the indexing and for the detachment therefrom for the positioning at the maintenance stations.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.